Turbine-driven locomotive or vehicle.



F0 MODEL.

KZEQX WITNESSES PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904. J. WILKINSON.

TURBINE DRIVEN LOGOMOTIVE OR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 18, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

BYQQM Q A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES Patented August 30, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WILKINSON, OF BIRMINGILMVI, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR. TO THE WILKINSONS'IEAllI 'IURBINE COMPANY, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALA- BAMA, A CORPORATION OFALABAMA.

TURBlNE-DRIVEN LOCOMOTIVE OR VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,714, dated August30, 1904.

Application filed May 13, 1904. Serial No. 207,769. (No model.)

3 all whrmt it may concern.-

l Be it known that I, JAMES WiLxiNsoN, acitiz .1 of the United States,residing at Birmingh m, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama,have invented new and useful Improvements in 'Iurbine-Driven Locomotivesor Vehicles, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to improvements in traction engines or vehiclesadapted to be ropelled by an elastic-fluid turbine of any esiredconstruction and in'the driving mechnism for transmitting the rotarymotion of \he turbine to a wheel or axle.

In my. preferred construction I will mount the turbine or turbines uponthe main frame of the locomotive adjacent to the points where thecylinders are now located, disposing them at-right angles to the axle ofthe main driving-wheels. As applied to traction cars and vehicles, theturbine may be supported in any desirable manner upon a truck or fromthe body of the vehicle.

It is a further objectof my invention to improve the driving mechanismfor transmitting motion from the motor on the main frame or truck of thelocomotive or car to one of the traction-wheels or to an axle.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide as a preferablearrangement a pinionshaft mounted in a suitable bearing which ispivotally and adjust-ably journaled on an axle and which is connected bya ball-andsocket joint to the bearing-frame for the motor-driven shaft,which latter is connected by a universal joint to the pinion-shaft. Thebearing for the motor-shaft is preferably mounted rigidly upon the mainframe of a locomotive, and the flexible and adjustable connections forthe pinion-shaft bearings will permit of a free relative movementbetween the frame and axle.

In describing the preferred embodiment of my transmission means asapplied to driving a locomotive-engine reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and inwhicl Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotiveengine provided withmy transmission-gears and a turbine-motor. Fig. 2 is avertical sectionalview through the flexible shaft-bearing along the line w re, Fig. 3, andpartly through the yoke for the bearing along the line 3/ 3 also of Fig.3. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the pinion-shaft bearing with the capremoved and the main journal shown in horizontal section. Fig. 4 is across-sectional view through the line 2 2, Fig. 3. a top plan view ofthe main journal-bearing. Fig. 6 is an end view of the universal jointof the driving-shaft, and Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view throughthe joint on the line a a, Fig. 3.

Similar reference-numerals refer to the same parts throughout.

In describing the specific application of my invention illustrated inthe drawings, to which, however, 1 do not limit myself, the locomotive 1is provided with a main frame comprising upper and lower portions 2 and3, respectively, formed integral and connected by cross portions 4,constituting side guides for the shaft journal-brasses 5 and 6, whichrest upon the axle 7, connecting the front pair of drive-wheels 8. Asaddle 9, made of boilersteel, passes around the main frame and has aturned-up edge bolted to the boiler, which is supported upon the springs10, connected at their inner ends by pivoted links 11 to the main frame2 and at their center mounted in a suitable support 12, which passesthrough a guide in frame 2 and rests upon a shoe 13, bearing uponjournal-brass 5. These journals are mounted on the axle 7 adjacent toeach wheel 8 and comprise an upper brass 5, which surrounds the majorportion of the axle and rests upon the lower brass 6, which hugs thelower portion of the axle closely, whereas the upper brass leaves aclearance at the points 14 to enable it to be dropped over the shaft.These brasses are squared on each side opposite their central portionsand provided with vertical recesses 15, in which the side rguides 4 aredisposed, and at each end they are turned at 16 to provide a circularinner ,bearing, Fig. 2, upon which are pivotally Fig. 5 is mounted twonarrow brasses 17 and 13, whose outer l'acesare squared and seated inthe yokes it! of the bearirig-frame 2H for the pinionshaft 21. TheYUhU'l l'lHlHBS have an endwise movement on brasses IT and 13 and areconnected'at their outer ends by caps 22, which are held in position bycap-screws An oil-opening 24 passes through the upper yokc arm andsupplies lubricant for the yoke and brasses. It will be noted in Fig. 2that these yokes and the brasses IT and 18 can move around the innerbrasses and the axle as a a pivot, so that the frame 20 is radiallydisposed and movable concentric with the wheel 8 on its pivot.

The pinion-shaft 21 has integral therewith or keyed thereto at anintermediate point a bevel-pinion 25, provided with half-shrouded teeth26, which mesh with a circular row of correspondinglyshroudcd teeth 27,formed on a segmental ring 28, flanged on each side and securelyconnected by cap-screws 29 to a 1 circular shoulder 30 on the inner sideof wheel 8. This ring projects within the bearingframe 20, which is cutaway to leave the pinion free, and thus leaving bearing-sections foreach end of the shaft 21 and a connecting-web 31 between them. A cap 32is bolted or otherwise secured to the bearing 20, which is provided withsuitable holes 33 for the reception of screws or bolts. The outer endsof the bearing 20 and cap 32 are enlarged and shaped to form the ball 34of a ball-andsocket joint 35, by means of which the movable bearing forthe pinion -shaft is connected to the bearing 36 for the motor-drivingshaft 37. The bearing 36 is formed in two parts, whose inner ends areenlarged to form the socket 38, which surrounds the ball 34 of the jointEach section of the socket 38 is provided with a boss 39, provided witha threaded opening 40 and adapted to [it closely between sections 2 and3 of the main frame 2. Gap-screws pass through these portions of themain frame and enter the openings 40, so that the socket is firmly andrigidly connected to the main frame. The other end-0f the bearing 36 isrigidly connected to or formed integral with a head of the turbine 41,through which the shaft 37 extends, and is supported in a bearing 42 atthe other end thereof. This turbine or motor is also rigidly mounted onthe main frame, and the drivingshaft 37 will therefore be incapable ofany movement independent of the main frame. Since the pinion-shaft21 isconnected to the axle 7. which the necessity of the case requires to bemounted on springs and which will therefore be capable of vertical andoscillatory movements in the plane of its vertical movement, it followsthat the hall-and-socket joint 35 between the bearing-frames for themovable shaft 21 and the fixed shaft 37 is necessary, and a universalconnection will be required between said shafts. l recess the ball 34 toreceive this universal joint 43, connecting the pinion-shaft 21 with thedrivingshaft 37, which joint may be of any desired construction,butpreferably comprises two circular heads 44 and 45. each having twooppositely-disposed curved lips 46 and 47, respectively, which areloosely interlocked and connected by cap-screws 43 to an inner squareblock 49. The body portions of the screws are enlarged and form pivotsfor the several lips. Pins pass eccentrically through opposite screws 48and block 49 and lock the screws against disengagement. The lowerportion of the bearing 36 is recessed to form an oil-reservoir, whichcommunicates with the recess in the ball 34 and also supplies lubricantby oil-rings 51 to the thrust-bearings 52 for shaft 37. These bearingsare formed by recessing the bearing 36 at 53 and providing collars 54,rigid on the shaft. Oil-passages 55 connect these recesses with eachother and the end recess with the bearing for the head 45. Oil-ducts 56and 57 lead through the center of head 44 and diagonally through theshaft 21 to supply lubricant by centrifugal action to thebearing-sections for the pinion-shaft and by means of ducts 58 and 59and a circular groove 60 and radial grooves 61 in the face of head 44 Iam able to draw ofl by centrifugal action the oil from the circularpassages 62 and 63 around the inner ends of the bearing-sections. 1 thussecure a proper circulation of the lubricant essential to the successfuloperation of the driving mechanism. An oil-passage 65 supplies lubricantto the main journal-bearings.

The mechanism which I have thus described in detail may be duplicatedfor each of the driving-wheels on axle 7; but in case it is desired todrive but one of the wheels I will use a thrust-collar 66 on axle 7,which bears against the main journalbearing and counteracts the tendencyof the gears in driving-wheel 8 to move it outwardly. I have shown thelocomotive provided with two driving-wheels on each side, in which casethe parallel rod 67 will connect the cranks 68 on the wheels bycrank-pins 69.

My transmission-gearing will possess the same advantages when utilizedto transmit motion from a wheel to a dynamo or other machine upon thetruck or main frame of a traction-vehicle.

The advantages of a rotary motor for traction purposes have long beenrecognized, and in view of the limitations of the reciprocatingsteam-engine for high speeds it has been sought to utilize rotaryengines to replace them. The elastic-fluid turbine as a species ofrotary motor is capable of developing any desired power and speed ofrotation, and being impact in structure it may be readily applied inplace of the present driving-eylinders.

The successful application of a steam-turbine to drive alocomotive-engine makes it possible for steam to successfully competewith electricity as a driving means, and it is with this object in viewthntl have developed the present application of my turbine, which may beof the type shown and described in patents issued to me and which may hegoverened in any suitable manner. In utilizing the turbine to drive alocomotive the forn'ier is mounted in the manner hereinbeforc describedand upon the admission of motor liuid thereto will drive themainshaftliT. The shaft 21 through the universal connection will be driven.by the turbine-shaft and through the pinion 25 will transmit its motionto the wheel 8 by means of the circular beveled rack 27 on thedriving-wheel, whose teeth mesh with the pinion. As the axle 7 moves upand down or rocks the pinion-shaft will maintain its true radialposition thereto, and accordingly its proper mesh with teeth 27, sinceits bearingframe is pivotally mounted on the same axis as wheel 8. Therewill, however, be a slight sliding movement of the yoke on the brasses17 and 18, due to the latter moving tangentially to the arc of theyolres swing. I provide for this sliding movement by leaving sufficientclearance at 70 between the yoke and cap andthe sides of the interposedbrasses. This movement of the frame 20 will cause a slight slidingmovement at the teeth of the gears, which, however, is very small andmay be compensated by increasing the room between the shrouds and teethat their outer ends. In driving forward the tendency of the pinion 25 toclimb up on the circular beveled rack 27 will relieve a portion of thestrain on the main journalbearings, due to the lifting action exertedagainst the lower brasscs6 through the yoke.

By mounting the supporting-frame for the gear-shaft upon a journal ofthe main axle I avoid the disadvantages of having to lubricate itsframe-bearing.

Though I have described my invention with particular view to itsapplication for a locomotive, I do not desire to limit myself, since theturbine may be utilized to drive any character of traction-vehicles, andmy improvements may be successfully used in connection with any of thesedifferent applications.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toprotect by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a driving mechanism for a tractionengine, the combination with amain frame, wheels, and an axle therefor, a bearing thereon on whichsaid frame is journaled, of a retary motor mounted on said frame, apowertransmission shaft driven by said motor, a universal joint in saidshaft, means to pivotally support the outer end of said shaft on saidmain-frame journal-bearing, and a pinion on said outer end of said shaftwhich meshes with teeth on the side of said wheel.

2. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a wheel, an axletherefor, and a frame supported thereon, of a power-transmission shaftmounted on said frame and having an end pivotally and adjustablysupported on said axle, a universal joint in said shaft, and means totransmit motion from its pivoted end to said wheel.

3. ln a driving mechanism, the combination with a pinion and a shafttherefor, of a rotary clement provided with teeth meshing with saidpinion, a power-transmission shaft, a universal joint between saidshafts, and a bearing-frame for said pinion-shaft pivotally mounted uponand having an adjustable connection with the axis of said drivenelement, and a flexible connection with a supportingframe for saidpower-transmission shaft.

4. In a driving mechanism for a tractionengine, the combination with awheel, an axle therefor and a frame journaled thereon, of anelastic-fluid turbine mounted on said frame, a shaft driven by saidturbine, a toothed element connected by a universal joint to said shaftand meshing with teeth through which motion is imparted to said wheel,and means to support said toothed element comprising a frame flexiblyand adjustably supported from said frame and axle, which maintains saidelement in radial alinement with said wheel throughout changes in itsoperating position.

5. In a driving mechanism for a tractionengine, the combination-withwheels, an axle therefor, and a frame supported on said axle, of anelastic-fluid turbine mounted on said frame, a shaft therefor, agear-shaft flexibly connected to said latter shaft and meshing withteeth on saidwheel, and a-support for said gear-shaft which isadjustably connected to said frame and supported so that it maintainssaid gear-shaft in radial alinement with said wheel independently ofchanges in the relative operating position of said wheel and turbine.

6. In a driving mechanism for a rotary element, the combination withsaid element, of an axis therefor, a journal-bearing thereon, a circularrow of gear-teeth on said element, a pinion meshing with said teeth, apinion-support formed at one end with extensions pivotally andadjustably mounted on said journal-bearing,and a power-transmissionelement which drives said pinion through a flexible connection.

7. In a driving mechanism for a tractionwheel, the combination with awheel and a journal therefor, of a circular rack mounted on said wheel,a pinion engaging said rack, a pinion-support pivotally mounted on saidjournal, means to provide for an endwise adjustmenton said support, anda power-transmission element having a flexible driving connection withsaid pinion.

8. In a driving mechanism for a tractionwheel, the combination with awheel, axle, and journal-bearing thereon, of a circular rack mounted onsaid wheel, a pinion which engages said rack, a bearing-frame for saidpinion formed at one end with yolres which are pivotallymounted on saidjournal-bearing and capable of a limited endwisc movement thereon, apower-transmission shaft, a lixed bearing therefor, a universal jointbetween said shafts, and a flexible connection between thesupportingframes for the said shafts.

9. In a driving mechanism for a tractionwheel, the combination with awheel, axle, and journal-bearing thereon, of a circular rack mounted onsaid wheel, a pinion which engages said rack, a pinion-support formed atone end with arms which are pivotally mounted on said journal-bearingand capable of a limited endwise movement thereon, a power-transmissionshaft, a fixed bearing therefor, a universal joint to transmit motionbetween the pinion and shaft, and a flexible connection between thesupporting-frames for the said shafts.

10. In a driving mechanism for a tractionwheel, in combination with awheel, an axle therefor, and a circular row of bevel-gear teeth mountedon said wheel, of a pinionshaft mounted in a bearing-frame and disposedradially relative to said wheel, a bevelpinion on said shaft engagingsaid circular row of teeth on the wheel, a universal joint between saidpinion-shaft and a power-transmission shaft, and means to flexiblysupport one end of the bearing-frame for said pinionshaft from a fixedelement and to pivotally support the other end on the axle of saidwheel.

11. In combination with a traction-engine, a wheel, an axle therefor,and a circular row of teeth mounted on said, wheel, of a main frame inregard to which said axle is movable, of a power-transmission shaft,abearing therefor supported by said frame, a pinion-shaft connectedthereto by universal joint, a pinion on said shaft engaging the teeth onsaid wheel, a bearing-frame for said shaft connected by aball-and-socket joint to the main frame and having an adjustable pivotalconnection to said axle.

12. In a driving mechanism for tractionwheels, the combination with saidwheels, of a main frame supported upon journal-bearings mounted upon theaxle'of said wheels, a driving element pivotally and adjustablysupported upon one of said journal-bearings, a driving connectionbetween said element and wheel, and a universal connection between saidelement and a power-transmission shaft supported by said main frame.

13. In a driving mechanism for a tractionwheel, the combination ofwheels, an axle therefor, a journal-bearing mounted on said axle andreduced to form acircular portion, a frame supported thereon, a toothedelement meshing with teeth on said wheel and pivot-ally supported at oneend on said reduced portion of the journal-bearing, means to provide foran end wise adjustment between said element and its supporting means, aballand-socket joint between said supporting means and said frame, and auniversal connection between said element and a powcr-transmissionshaft.

14. In a driving mechanism, a rotatable ele ment, a gear-driving meansrigidly connected thereto, a rotating shaft, a support for said shaftwhich is capable of movement relative to said element, atransmission-gear meshing with said first-mentioned gear and flexiblyconnected to said shaft, a bearing in which said transmission-gear ismounted which is pivotally supported by said shaft-support and a journalon said rotatable element and capable of endwise adjustment on one ofthem.

15. In a driving mechanism, the combination of adriving and drivenelement, a pinionshaft connected by a universal joint to said drivingelement, a bearing for said pinionshaft pivotally mounted concentricwith the driven element and radially disposed thereto, a fixed bearingfor the driving element, and a ball-and-socket joint between saidpinion-shaft bearing and said latter bearing.

16. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a pinion and a shafttherefor, of a rotary element provided with teeth meshing with saidpinion, a power-transmission shaft, a universal joint between saidshafts, and a bearing for said pinion-shaft having an adjustableconnection with the axis of said driven element and a flexibleconnection with the supporting-frame for said power-transmission shaft.

17. In a driving mechanism, a rotary driving or driven element subjectedto changes in its operating position, an axis therefor and a circularrow of pinion-teeth mounted thereon, in combination with ajournal-bearing mounted on said axis, a pinion-shaft provided with teethwhich mesh with said circular row of teeth, a bearing-frame for saidshaft which is pivotally mounted on said journal-bearing and capable ofan endwise movement thereon, a power-transmission shaft, a fixedbearingframe therefor and flexible joints between the respective shaftsand their bearing-frames.

18. In adriving mechanism, a wheel, a jour nal therefor, acontact-surface movable with said wheel, a transmission element havingacontact-surface engaging said other surface, a shaft, a bearing thereformovable relatively to said journal, a universal joint between saidtransmission element and shaft, and a bearing for said transmissionelement pivotally and adjustably supported by said journal.

19. In a driving mechanism, a rotatable shaft, a rotatable element, atransmission device engaging said element and connected by auniversaljoint to said shaft, and bearings for said shaft andtransmission device which are connected by a ball-and-socket jointsurrounding said universal joint.

20. In a driving mechanism, a rotatable shaft, a wheel, a journaltherefor, atransmission device constituting a driving connection betweensaid shaft and wheel, a bearing-frame for said shaft, a supporting meansfor said transmission device connected by a hall-andsocket joint to saidframe and pivotallv supported by said journal, and a universal-jointconnection between said transmission device and shaft which is disposedwithin said balland-soeket joint.

21. The combination of a wheel and its axle, a frame supported onjournal-i airings on said axle, a shaft mounted on said frame, a bearingtherefor, driving means for transmitting motion between said shaft andwheel, a sup porting-frame for said transmission means flexiblyconnected to said journal and to said shaft-bearing and capable ofendwise adjustment upon one of them.

22. The combination of a wheel and its axle, an engine-supporting framemounted on journal-bearings on said axle, a shaft, a bearing thereformounted on said frame, a driving element connected by a flexible jointto said shaft and in operative engagement with means which move withsaid wheel, a bearing-support for said element, a ball-and-socket jointconnecting said support to said shaft-bearing and surrounding saidflexible joint, and means to pivotally connect the bearing-support forsaid element to said axle.

23. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a wheel, a journaltherefor, an elasticllnid turbine, a support therefor capable ofmovement relative to said journal, a turbineshal't provided at anintermediate point with a universal joint, an element connected to thellexihle end of said shaft and provided with a contact-surface whichengages a similar surface carried by an element which drives said wheel,and means to pivotally and adjustably support the flexible end of saidshaft on said \VllCHl-jUlll'lHtl.

24. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a wheel and a journaltherefor, of means to transmit motion to or from said wheel comprising ashaft, a flexible joint between said shaft and a transmission elementhaving a contact-surface in engagement with a surface which moves withsaid wheel, a bearing for said shaft capable of movement relative tosaid journal, and means to pivotally and adj ustably support an end ofsaid transmission element from said journal.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub scribing witnesses.

JAMES WILKINSON.

\Vitnesses:

H. M. HORTON, R. D. JOHNSTON.

